


Prelude to a House of Cards

by misura



Category: Nightside Series - Simon R. Green
Genre: Card Games, Community: smallfandomfest, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-05
Updated: 2013-03-05
Packaged: 2017-12-15 09:47:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,017
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/848112
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/misura/pseuds/misura
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>"You mean I could accidentally end up summoning a unicorn by playing with these?"</i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	Prelude to a House of Cards

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kaishiro15](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kaishiro15/gifts).



> prompt: _John & Cathy, even cardboard and card games are...interesting in the Nightside._

Fads come and go in the Nightside - a few may stick around for longer than a couple of months, but generally speaking, today's hot new must-have is tomorrow's wouldn't-be-caught-dead-with.

Of course, that doesn't stop people from trying to make it big with some gimmick or another.

Still, most of them fail miserably and are never heard from again - at least, not under the same name as the one they used to sign their contracts. Debts are serious business, after all.

For several weeks, it seemed like the small corporation calling itself Sorcerers on the Shore Inc was steadily headed for obscurity. They'd produced a quick to learn, reasonably well-thought out cardgame that had, for a short period, managed to get people interested.

Eventually, as it was bound to do, the novelty wore off and people went looking for the next thing.

And then the rumors started. Initially, people dismissed them as a publicity stunt, a last-ditch effort from the people at Sorcerers to make that last bit of extra money that would set them up for their next project. People shrugged and decided that maybe they _would_ buy one last package of cards.

Soon, there wasn't a single package of Sorcery cards left to be found for sale in the regular stores. Cynics expressed a certain grudging admiration for the corporation who'd managed to generate that kind of demand. 

Logically, the rumors should have died out, then. They'd served their purpose, after all.

Of course, this being the Nightside, things didn't work out quite so smoothly.

And so, in the end, Walker paid a visit to the office of a certain private detective.

 

"You mean I could accidentally end up summoning a unicorn by playing with these?" Cathy studied the images on the cards in front of her with a mixture of curiosity and speculation.

"We wouldn't have anywhere to put it," said John quickly.

"Unicorns aren't all they're made out to be, really," said Walker, sipping his tea with a carefully bland face. "Nasty, vicious creatures. Unless, of course - but no. Surely not. No offense intended, John, Cathy."

"Damn right I'm not. Although I do wonder about John sometimes," said Cathy. "He should get out more. He's not _that_ old yet."

"Ah. I'd offer you the addresses of some establishments I occasionally visit myself, but I'm afraid they wouldn't suit your tastes." Walker paused. "Nor you theirs, most likely."

"Dragon? Naw. Ogre? Definitely no. Gnomes?"

"I believe I mentioned only a very small portion of the cardboard has been exposed to the substance. Fortunately for all of us," said Walker.

"Cathy's an optimist," said John. "And we don't have a garden."

"John's always such a pessimist. We might get one, one day. Along with a new office."

"It's good to see the two of you getting along so well," said Walker. "Really, John. I know this place can be ... hard on you, when you're all alone. Family's a good thing to have, even if it's not by blood. Perhaps especially then."

"Careful there, Walker. I might almost begin to think you care."

Walker grimaced slightly as he put down his empty cup. "Very well then, back to the job at hand. You are to track down the cards that have not been used yet to summon whatever creature depicted on them. Preferably before the fabric of reality sustains any more damage. Every creature that gets dragged here means the creation of another temporal rift through time and space, and I'm certain you don't need me to tell you that isn't a good thing."

"Right," said John.

"You'll be well paid for your efforts, naturally. By which I mean you will only get your money on the condition that you deliver the cards to me in one piece, preferably without having caused any excessive property damage in the process. Let's leave Suzie out of this one."

Cathy perked up. "Can I come? I mean, it's not as if this job's going to be dangerous or anything."

John looked at Walker, who shrugged, his expression non-committal. "I have no objection, although I feel I should point out many of John's cases have a ... regrettable tendency to become complicated and, by extension, decidedly dangerous. Really, I wonder sometimes how you get any clients at all."

"It's my winning personality."

"Also, of course, there is the consideration that if you were to remain at the office, I might drop by occasionally to make inquiries about the amount of progress that has been made. With both of you in the field, so to speak, I would be obliged to make a bit of an effort to stay informed of things."

"I'm not exactly hearing the word 'no' here, boss."

"Fine. Why not?" said John. "Just keep in mind who's in charge around here."

"Sure," said Cathy. "No problem."

"Regular check-ins, John," said Walker. "I insist. Otherwise, I'll have to track you down, and I do so hate to waste my time because some people have no idea what it means to be responsible - or punctual."

"It's just a simple job of tracking down a bunch of playing cards. Likely as not, the people who own them don't even know what they've got. What could possibly go wrong?"

Walker just sighed and shook his head.

Cathy frowned. "All right, on second thought, I think I might want to stay behind after all. I mean, I'm not an idiot. I _know_ that when people ask those kinds of dumb questions, things are likely to go very, very wrong very, very quickly, and I'm far too young and attractive to die."

"A sensible young woman, indeed," Walker murmured. "I suppose it would be too much to hope some of that sensibility might rub off on you one of these days, John."

"Consider yourself lucky. If I ever got sensible, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't agree to do your dirty work anymore," said John.

"Possibly true," Walker acknowledged, with a brief smile. "Still. Do take care of yourself, John. Just because you're utterly expendable, that doesn't mean I would want for you to get hurt."


End file.
